The Future of Work Devices

My kids don’t want computers. They want iPads. They want screens they can touch and comfortably hold six inches away from their faces. They are more comfortable doing homework on an iPhone than a computer. My oldest son even wrote a paper using dictation on his phone and then corrected it with the phone keyboard. The tools our kids use to get work done won’t be laptops and desktops.

I’ve been noticing a lot of criticisms about the new iPad. Tech YouTubers are mostly united in the conclusion that it ‘s the best hardware and speed ever, but that it fails at being a computer replacement because computer workflows don’t work. I think that’s the point.

The iPad is meant to be the “computer” of choice for the generation of people whose first “computer” was a phone. People who feel uncomfortable sitting down at a traditional machine with windows and unnecessary steps to get done what they want to get done. In the same way that employment is changing with the Gig Economy, remote work, the devices, and workflows used to get things done are going to change. We are going to have a generation of people who are post- computer.

This is important for business leaders for two reasons.

First, you are going to have to rethink your business systems, tools, processes) and most importantly, your attitude about devices to optimize for, attract, and keep the next generation of workers. This goes beyond devices and expends into software and services as well. You are going to have to disassociate a phone, texting, etc. from shouting off or being unprofessional. You are going to need to embrace and learn this new style of work and he a champion of it.

Second, the products, services, and solutions you are developing and selling need to be thought about through the lens of mobile-first. Your customers will not be stationary. They won’t be in one place physically or digitally for too long. Your solutions and products need to help them where they are and also move with them to where they are going.

By the way, this post was handwritten using an app called Nebo, exported to text, edited in Grammarly in a browser, and then lines added and posted wherever you are seeing it now.